ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on Soren Kierkegaard, and it is characterized most of all by its great variety of evaluations. In case one would like to excuse Kierkegaard by pointing out that it is pseudonyms who are writing these pieces, Leon backs up her readings with references to Kierkegaard's journal entries. Kierkegaard's attack on marriage—really more misogamy than misogyny—is only one manifestation of the perennial conflict between eternity and temporality18 that runs throughout the whole corpus. Kierkegaard does have an ascetic side, and it explains much of what he has to say about women 22 and their perceived role in marriage. Few essays have illuminated so much of Kierkegaard in so little space; precisely for that reason, Watkin's is perhaps the most disturbing chapter of a collection whose provocations linger. Males should imitate female silence before God, but not necessarily any other feminine attributes.
